Metal plate beneath Linothorakes or Spolades

[PMBardunias]

being made primarily of iron scales and hoops

Hey Ruben, on the topic of "hoops", I can't recall if I shared this image with you, you'll find it interesting. The front of the armor is covered with overlapping hoop(?) segments of metal or organic constrction. Since it is on the outside, they are oriented in the reverse of the way plates are riveted on the inside of an armor, here the top overlaps the bottom like a snake belly. It is the way that later Roman segmented lorica overlap, but of course they lack a base material. The image is from a red figure showing Achilleus' armor dating from 500-450 BC attributed to Oreithya.